Automobile frame straightening machine



y 1933. H. WOCHNER 1,907,925

AUTOMOBILE FRAME STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l Lil Inventor B ZW May 9, 1933. WOCHNER 1,907,925

AUTOMOBILE FRAME STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a WQIMT By QMMWW- Attorney May 9, 1933. H. WOCHNER 1,907,925

AUTOMOBILE FRAME STRAIG-HTENING MACHINE) Filed May 4, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor By J1, W,

M Attorny Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE um! wocnnnm or nocx ISLAND, rumors, assrenoa r 1mm IANUFAC'I'UBIHG company, or soon rsumn, rumors AUTOMOBILE FRAME STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Application filed Kay 4, 1931. Serial No. 534,888.

My invention has reference an automobile frame straightening machme and has for its purpose to increase the effic ency and facility of operation of suchmachmes. By its use'any part of the frame of a motor vehicle can be restored ,to a perfect condltion, after having been bent or twlsted out of lace. p The invention embraces a main frame, upon which the vehicle to be operated on may be positioned, and a system of clamps ca able of adjustment laterally and longltudina ly of said frame, to cause an engagement of the clamps with the parts to be corrected, said clamps being usable with a ack or other ower exertin device for straightemng the flame parts. aid clamps are also capable of a varied ositioning, so that they can be applied to t e side pieces of a frame, or to the end pieces thereof, in correcting what is known as a diamond distortion of the frame. Means are also provided for vertical ad ustment of the clamping elements, to con orm them to the height of the faulty part. The invention is designed chiefly for the straightening of parts by movements in a honzontal plane,.but ada tations can be made which will rmit of t e straightening of parts verticall;

Another feature of the inventlon cons sts of a means for locking the clamp-bearmg members from movement, after an adjustment in the position thereof, accompamed by a separate means for en agement of the clamping elements with thelr su ports automatically, so that they are loc'ke in position thereon.

The above named, and other features and advantages of the invention Wlll more fully appear from the following specification, taken in connection with'the' accompanying drawings, in which c Fig. 1 shows the invention in plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevat on thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the clamplng elements.

Fig. 4 is a detailed side view .of one of the,

on the br ken line 5-4? f Fig- 2..

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a di erent arrangement 0 the parts.

The frame of themachine is formed of a pair of hollow rails 1, spaced apart and united at one of their ends by a cross-beam 2, and at their opposite ends by a cross-beam 3, having alongitudinal channel 4. The beam 2 is supported by a pair of channel-plate feet 5 and the beam 3 is mounted on similar feet 6, whereby the rails are positioned at a height above the floor affording clearance for parts of the machine which operate below said rails.

The lower lates of said rails are provided with longitu inal channels 7, in which are movable the vertical web portions 8 of pairs of hangers 9, the upper bars 10 of which are slidable in said rails. The hangers are provided with openings 11 in which are supported cross-beams 12. The lower faces of the bars 10 are beveled slightly and depending centrally therefrom is a horizontal rib 13 of the web 8. Whenthe hangers are in a normal position the beams 12 are slidable freely therein, for purposes of adjustment, but by rocking the hanger to one side or the other the beam is gripped ti htly between the lower bar of the hanger an the rib 13, looking the beam from movement longitudinally. This can be accomplished by pushing the lower part, of the hanger!) inwardly, and if the hangers at both ends of a beam are rocked in the same direction they will counteract each other, and prevent any movement of the beam to release itself. The purpose of this will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

The cross-beams 12 are rovided with longitudinal channels 14, in w ich are supported clamp-posts 15, by means of airs of perforations 16 in the lower parts of said posts, containing pins 17 and 18, preferably in U-bolt formation, as shown, so that a pair of the pins can be inserted or withdrawn as a unit. One pair of said pins is positioned above the cross-beam 12 and another pairbeneath the same, with suflicient space between said (pairs to permit of the 0st being moved sli ably along the beam. 11 the eventof the exertion of force against the upper part of the post,

however, there is a tendency to tip such post, causing the beam 12 to be gripped between one of the ins 17 above the beam and one of the ins 18 elow the same, or the reverse, depen ing upon which way the post is tipped. This operates to lock the post from further movement along. the beam. The posts15 are provided with additional pairs of openings 16 to allow for a vertical adjustment of sa1d post with relation to the beam. Said posts are also provided with reduced up er end portions 19, offset from the body of t e post, so that the same may be positioned partly above the rail if desired, as shown in Fig. 6, to accommodate frames of extra width. It is obvious that a greater spacing can be secured between the upper parts 19 of a pair of the posts 15 sup orted between the rails 1 than between the roader portions of said posts. The curved portion of the post also rovides an anchorage for a chain or cable or connection with a frame, in holding the same against the force of a jack supported on the beam 12.

The up r plates of the rails 1 form tracks for the wh eels of a motor vehicle, flanges 20 being provided along the sides of said rails to form guides for the wheels. Inclined por- I tions 21 forming extensions of the rails are also supplied for the convenient ascent or descent of the vehicle.

In Fig. 1 is indicated a portion of the sidepiece 22 of a vehicle, frame, engaged at one side by a pair of the posts 15, and at the other side by one of said posts, at a point midway the other two. Supiorted. on the middle beam 12 is a power jac is a ainst the rail 1 andthe piston 24 of whic is en aged with the central post 15.

The force 0 the jack is thereby applied to said st to cause it to slide along the beam 12, w ich beam, as well as the other beams 12 are locked from movement for the bending operation. The pressure of the post 15 against the frame 22 will cause the same to bear againstthe upper ends of the endposts 15, tending to tip said osts, and locking them from movement on t e beams 12, in the manner hereinbefore set forth. The movement of the central post 15 continues until the frame is straightened. A different arrangement of the clamp posts can be had, either with the jack exerting its force against one of the endposts, or by the use of two jacks operating against two of the osts. Changes of the kind mentioned might required where the bend in the frame was outwardly instead of inwardly.

The cross-beams 12 are of suflicient length to be caused to extend beyond the frame of the machine on'one side or the other, and provide a support for one of the clamp posts on the outside of the rail, as'shown in Fig. 3. The position of any one or more I of said posts can be reversed, for convenience in ap- 23, the base of which pl 'ing the same to the part to be corrected. hen a frame is to be straightened the clamp posts are first removed and the vehicle run up on the rails. The osts are then replaced and en aged with t e faulty part of the frame in t e manner described, and the force of the jack applied thereto. It will be evident that the work can be accomplished without removing the wheels of the vehicle or disconnecting any of the parts thereof.

In Fig. 7 is shown a different use of the machine, wherein two of the beams 12 are removed and supported on the remaining beam 12 and on the beam 3, the beams that are turned in position being secured to the other beam 12 by means of bolts 25 passing downwardly through the channels 14. In this arrangement the device can be employed for straightening a frame that is out of true, as indicated at 26, one end of the part 26 being connected with one of the posts 15 by a chain '27, and a jack 28 being positioned between the other post 15 and the frame iece 26.

Upon force being exerted on the rame by the jack the frame is restored to its proper position.

The stationary cross-beam 3 is adapted for the support of tools for use in straightening the axle of an automobile which is supported on the rails 1, and can be made convenient use of, either independently of the clamping devices set forth herein, or in conjunction therewith.

What I claim, and desire to secure, is:

1. In a frame straightening machine, a pair of spaced-apart rails and supports therefor, said rails providing tracks for the wheels of a motor vehicle, a plurality of cross-beams supported by said rails capable of adjustment in position lon itudinally of said rails and relatively to eac other and shift'able in position laterally thereof, and frame-enga ing elements on said cross-beams and capable of adjustment longitudinally thereof.

2. In a frame straightening machine, a pair of hollow rails and supports therefor, flanges on said rails forming tracks on the upper faces thereof, hangers slidable in said rails, cross-beams supported in said hangers, and rovided with lon itudinal channels, and rame-engaging devices mounted in said cross-beams and capable of movement longitudinally thereof.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of rails and supports therefor, tracks on said rails, hangers slidably connected with said rails, cross-beams supported by said hangers, frame-enga ing devices slidably mounted on said crosscams, and a force-imparting device positioned between one of sand rails and one of said frame-enga ing devices.

4. In a device of the class described, a pair of spaced rails and su ports therefor, tracks on said rails, a stationary-cross-beam beneath said rails near one end thereof, provided with a longitudinal channel, auxilia channeled cross-beams intermediate the eng of said rails, means for the support of said last-named cross-beams capable of adjustment longitudinally of said rails, and frameengaging devices supported slidably in said auxiliary cross-beams.

5. In a device of the class described, apair of rails and tracks thereon, pairs of hangers supported by said rails, and capable of a swinging movement laterally of said rails, cross-beams sup orted by said airs of hangers and engagea le by parts 0 said hangersto hold the same from movement, and posts slidably mounted on said cross-beams.

6. In a device of the class described, a pair of rails and supports therefor, tracks on said rails, pairs of hangers supported on said rails and having a slidable relation i therewith, cross-beams supported by said hangers, and posts slidably mounted on said cross-beams, and enga able therewith upon the application of orce to the upper ends of said posts.

7 In a device of the class described, a frame rovided with a pair of side rails, channeled ams supporte transversely of said rails, posts mounted slidably on said beams, and lockingbtelements carried by said posts, above, and low the beams, and adapted to automaticall engage said beams upon force being applie to said posts at a distance from the beams.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

HENRY W0 R. 

